


I'll Be Home for Christmas

by DarkKnightDarkSide



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Airports, Christmas, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Meet-Cute, Rating May Change, Tags May Change, mention of death by cancer, mention of foster care, mention of military
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:15:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21635719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkKnightDarkSide/pseuds/DarkKnightDarkSide
Summary: Ben is headed home to see his family for the first time in four Christmases. Rey is headed to spend the holiday with her best friend Rose, the first year after her beloved foster father passed away. A Nor'easter that delays both their flights will change their plans, but in the best possible way.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 40
Kudos: 127





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fettuccine_alfreylo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fettuccine_alfreylo/gifts), [bleumis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bleumis/gifts), [Kyoren (Takodonna)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Takodonna/gifts), [supremeoverlordkat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/supremeoverlordkat/gifts), [FoxesDance](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FoxesDance/gifts), [bittersnake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bittersnake/gifts), [here4thereylo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/here4thereylo/gifts), [lovelydarkanddeep](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelydarkanddeep/gifts), [That Witch LeFey](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=That+Witch+LeFey).



> This fic is dedicated to the best group of friends anyone could ask for, The NC Reylos: [Fettuccine_Alfreylo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fettuccine_alfreylo), [Kylrns](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kylrns/pseuds/kylrns), [Takodona](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Takodona/pseuds/matt-the-reydar-technician), [ThatWitchLeFay](https://twitter.com/thatwitchlefay), [FoxesDance](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FoxesDance/pseuds/FoxesDance), [SupremeOverlordKat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/supremeoverlordkat/pseuds/supremeoverlordkat), [BitterSnake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bittersnake), [Here4TheReylo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/here4thereylo/profile), and [ LovelyDarkAndDeep](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelydarkanddeep/pseuds/lovelydarkanddeep). I know it's Christmas, but make sure to try and find the Easter eggs I put in for each of you ;)

“Welcome to Chicago ladies and gentleman, the local time is 11:15 a.m. and it’s a frosty 27 degrees so make sure to bundle up. You may now use your electronic devices. Please take caution retrieving your items from the overhead bin, as items may have shifted during flight. Have a fantastic rest of your day and thank you for flying Millennium Airlines.” 

Rey Kenobi switched the WiFi back on her iPhone and smiled to herself when she saw she had five new texts from Rose. 

**10:47** : “Have you landed yet?”

**10:52** : “I’m so excited to see you!!!”

**10:54** : A picture of Fathier, Rose’s greyhound who was named after a species in her favorite sci-fi book series, curled up by her fireplace beside a sparkling Christmas tree. 

**10:59** : “Rey, I just saw the weather report! They’re saying that snowstorm is headed this way in a couple hours. How long is your layover again?”

**11:10** : A link to the Weather Channel article showing the nor’easter’s predicted path had moved it closer inland toward Manhattan, and was now expected to bring up to fifteen inches of snow with it. This last text was accompanied by no fewer than ten anguish-face emojis.

“ _ Shit _ !” Rey thought, cursing herself for not paying the extra money to fly direct to New York. Money had been tight this semester, but when was it not? The thought of missing out on spending Christmas with her best friend, after not seeing her for two years, brought hot tears to prick at her eyes. 

But there was still a chance. The storm was moving slowly, so maybe if they could take off before it got there she could still make it in time? It wasn’t like she had much of a choice now. 

The passengers in the rows ahead of her were standing up, stretching their legs and reaching for their carry ons. She had an aisle seat thankfully, so she took the opportunity to get her own duffel bag out of the bin. The front panel seemed to be jammed and didn’t want to open; she gave it a light bang with the heel of her palm, then tried to pry it from the bottom.

This was a bad idea, since after a few seconds of pulling it suddenly flung open, and the obstructing object—a piece of hard-case luggage—was now tumbling rapidly toward her head. She screamed and covered her face reflexively, but the resulting  _ thud _ of the suitcase dropping never came. 

She slowly lowered her arms and opened her eyes to see what had prevented her from getting a concussion as her Christmas present. A passenger from the row ahead of hers had stepped in, and was holding the case aloft with one massive hand, like Superman holding back a train from hurtling off a cliff. 

Her eyes followed the hand, up a flexing bicep, to a wide shoulder and finally to a striking face. His full lips were turned down into what seemed to be a scowl, but there was concern in his light hazel eyes. He had a strong, aquiline nose that contrasted with the softness of his other features, but his broad frame and towering stature were completely male. 

“Are you Ok, Miss?” He asked, the tenor of his voice vibrating straight down to her toes. 

“I...Yes, thank you, I’m fine. I should have been more careful...”

A moment passed as they stood there awkwardly, neither moving nor speaking, until Rey heard a pointed cough from the person behind her. 

Then the spell was broken. The man pushed the case back into the bin and allowed Rey to retrieve her own bag. He gave her a small half smile and turned back toward the front of the shuffling line. 

As soon as she was off the plane, she made a beeline for the restroom, and then to Starbucks. She ordered her regular, a Venti Triple Shot Flat White, and stood by the pickup line, scrolling through her phone as she waited for her name to be called. The weather channel was now predicting up to 17 inches of snow for New York and surrounding areas. This was...not good. Was she going to get stranded here until the storm passed? Was she going to spend the holiday in a dirty airport, living on takeout for the next four days? Worst. Christmas. Ever. 

_ Breathe, Rey, _ she told herself. 

A velvety voice caused her to look up from her phone. The same one she heard on the plane. Her eyes snapped to the counter to see her mystery helper, standing at the front of the line and brushing his hand through his hair as he pondered the menu. He looked a little flustered. Was it from the press of the crowd, or was the weather also affecting his plans, she wondered?

“I’ll have a Grande Triple Shot Flat White...no, wait, let’s go with a Venti,” he told the barista, inserting his card into the reader. 

Rey’s eyebrows rose at that. He ordered the exact same drink as her? She wasn’t up to date on her Buzzfeed Quiz results but she was pretty sure this meant they were both career driven, direct, and open to new experiences. Or maybe that they were both just really tired - who could say with these kinds of things? 

She didn’t want to be rude, but it was hard not to stare at this guy. His body language telegraphed that he just wanted to hide away in the corner, but he was also almost comically large and looked as though he could monster stomp just about anyone who stood in his way of escape. His wavy black hair fell across his eyes with any tilt of his head, but he was wearing a red plaid flannel and hiking boots. 

He appeared to be a walking contradiction, and he was walking her way...

He caught her looking and her eyes cut to the floor, then pretended to be glued to her phone. The press of the crowd in the tiny coffee shop meant he had to weave past five people to stand uncomfortably close, a human tree planted among a field of discontented daisies. 

She felt embarrassed again, to be standing so close but not speaking. So she plucked up her courage and flashed him a friendly grin and said the only thing that came to mind. “You got a triple shot flat white too, huh? I thought I was the only one who drank that much caffeine on purpose.”

He regarded her as though he had been trying not to notice she was standing right at his shoulder, but it was now unavoidable. His face was stoic as it had been on the plane, but the tone still light. “What can I say? I love the smell of a nervous breakdown in the morning.” 

Rey laughed, although she wasn’t entirely sure he was joking. 

The barista called her name, and she adjusted her duffel bag on her shoulder before stepping up to take it. “Well, thanks again for your help on the plane. Safe travels.” 

She grabbed her coffee and squeezed her way out of the shop, but it was hard to shake the feeling of eyes on her as she went. 

***

Settling into an oversized chair at the gate lounge, Rey breathed a sigh of relief that her plane still said “On Time.” She had about three hours to kill, so she took out her Kindle and began to read the latest Sally Smith novel, Forbidden Desire. She was just getting to the part where the heroine is captured by the gruffly mannered but devilishly handsome pirate and taken to his private chambers for “questioning,” when she heard the same voice that had become familiar in a short span of time. 

“Excuse me, Miss - is this seat taken? I just need to use the charger for a bit.” 

It was Superman. 

Now this was just getting strange. Was he on her same flight to New York, too? 

He must have taken her dumbfounded blinking as annoyance, because he held up his palms in defense. “All the ones over there were being used,” he said with a gesture of his head behind them, to the adjoining lounge for the next gate over. 

“Oh, no...I mean yes...That is - no the seat isn’t taken. Yes, you can sit here.” She offered him a small smile. 

“Thanks,” he said with a sigh. He looked tired, and incredibly relieved. 

When he had sat down and taken out his phone cable to plug into the outlet between their chairs, the next thing he retrieved from his leather carry on was a pair of headphones, noise cancelling from the looks of them. 

But suddenly she wasn’t quite so eager to return to her book, titillating as it was. She had bumped into this guy three times now, on a plane with 200 passengers and an airport of thousands. Her gut was telling her there was some reason for it, and if there was one thing foster kids got good at, it was trusting their gut. 

The fact that his voice made her stomach do backflips and he smelled like a mix of cedarwood and heaven surely had nothing to do with it. 

So before he could jam the buds into his ears, she laid her Kindle down and offered her hand. 

“I’m Rey,” she said simply, accompanied by the beaming smile that had earned her the nickname of Sunny in high school. 

He returned the handshake, and she noticed that her palm was completely engulfed by his, but his grip was gentle. “Nice to meet you, Rey. I’m Ben.” 

Rey laughed. “Ben? That was my father’s name. Or it was what everyone called him, anyway.” 

Ben quirked a dark eyebrow. “I remind you of your father?”

“Well he wasn’t as tall as you,” she blurted out, then froze as she waited for his reaction, realizing how it sounded. 

To her surprise, he looked down at his hands awkwardly, turning his knees inward, as though embarrassed. “Not many people are, I guess.” 

“Oh, I didn’t mean you were too tall! In fact it must be kind of nice in some ways? To be able to reach things and see above crowds at concerts...” She was rambling. 

“You wouldn’t say that if you had just spent the last 12 hours flying in coach folded up like an origami crane,” he chuckled, and she noticed that his teeth were adorably crooked. Even his flaws seemed to have up sides. 

“Wow, yeah, I see what you mean. That’s a crazy long flight, where‘d you fly out of?”

“St. Petersburg. I’m doing my dissertation on communism in Soviet Russia so I was there conducting interviews.” 

Rey’s eyes widened, impressed. “That’s amazing!”

Ben’s mouth twitched, bending to amusement. “You appreciate Russian history?”

“Well,” she stammered, “Not exactly...But Anastasia is my favorite animated movie!” 

He laughed heartily at that. “Fair enough. Let me guess, you had a girlish crush on Dmitri.”

Rey blushed. “Maybe a little. You have to admit he was a good dancer! And that hair...”

“Partial to redheads, are you?” He asked playfully.

“No, actually...” Rey smiled shyly through her lashes. “I prefer brunettes.” 

“You do?” Ben replied as Rey nodded her head. “Ah, you do.” 

Her cheeks burning hot from the easy banter with this practical stranger, she was eager to change the subject. “Well, Ben, now that you’re back in the States, where are you headed? Do you have someone special to spend Christmas with?” She was willing to bet someone like him had a gorgeous girlfriend waiting patiently for his return.

“Actually, yes,” he said, and Rey’s hopes sank in her chest. “My mother.” 

“Your - mother?” 

“Yeah. I’ve been away from home for a while. Four years to be precise. But now I’m going back for Christmas.” The words sounded as though they should be happy, but the look on his face was strained. Rey sensed there was trepidation there, but she didn’t know him well enough to ask why. 

“She must be so happy, your mom. I know I would be, if my son was coming home for the first time in four years.” 

“I guess so,” he said, considering carefully. “It’s strange, you know. Have you ever been to a place that was so familiar you could see it with your eyes closed, but as soon as you were there the only place you wanted to be was far, far away?”

“Yes, I have actually,” Rey said softly, thinking of the hospital she spent the last of her teenaged years pining away in. 

“It’s like that, I guess. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family. I grew up there. I have a lot of memories there. Not all good, but who does you know? But...I’ve just never felt that I  _ belonged _ there.” He paused a moment, looking at his hands, and then carded them through his jet black hair. “Wow, I’m sorry, that got really deep for a noon layover...”

She smiled reassuringly, suddenly overcome by the urge to touch his shoulder but thinking better of it. “No, no, it’s ok, really. I despise small talk. Maybe you needed to get that off your chest before you could go home?”

“Yeah, maybe,” he nodded. “You’re a really good listener, Rey...” he left the words trailing.

“Kenobi,” she supplied. 

“You’re a really good listener, Rey Kenobi,” he finished, sticking out his hand for a second introduction, a proper one this time. “Ben Solo.”

“Wait,” she said, and a quick grimace flashed across his face, then was gone. “Ben Solo, like...the Solo Family? Millennium Airlines Solo? As in, the plane we flew here on?”

Ben rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Yeah...that’s me. How’d you know my dad’s name?”

“Well, uh...man, this sounds ridiculous to be saying to his son, but I did a huge profile paper on him last semester. I’m working toward my MBA. I mean, what your dad did, building the company from just one charter plane to...well, to an empire!”

“Uh huh.” Ben’s voice had suddenly gone dull. Rey sensed this was something he’d rather not discuss. 

“I’m sorry. I don’t see you any differently, if it matters. I mean...it probably doesn’t matter, I’m just a rando you met on a plane and you’re...well...” she trailed off. “Wait a minute! If your dad is Han Solo, why the hell were you flying coach??”

He sighed heavily. “I don’t give a shit about my dad’s money, or his name. I went to Russia to study something I  _ do _ care about. I want to be a professor, Rey. I want to give people something really valuable. Knowledge. And a hunger to use that knowledge. Not just sit around and try to find ways to squeeze the bottom line.”

Rey nodded. People were buzzing around them, making phone calls, ordering drinks at the airport bar, rushing to get to their gates, but she had barely noticed the outside world since Ben sat down next to her. He was a stranger, but an endlessly fascinating one. The gravitas of his presence radiated from him in waves, and she couldn’t help but be drawn in. 

She felt this was the right time. She reached out with ginger fingers and lightly laid her hand upon his shoulder. She saw him twitch at the touch, then lean into it, like a cat who didn’t realize it needed affection until it was presented and then craved more. 

“That makes sense, Ben,” she said gently. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable by bringing up your dad. I was just surprised.”

“It’s ok. I’m used to that reaction by now, I guess.” He checked his Apple Watch. “How long do you have left in your layover?”

“It’s supposed to be about an hour and a half more, but honestly that storm front is making me really nervous.”

“Yeah, me too. Makes me wish I had flown back earlier, but...well, maybe part of me was putting it off,” he shrugged. And then, a strange expression crossed his face and his eyebrows shot up. “I’ve got a while longer to wait, too. Can I buy you dinner?”

Rey felt warmth trickle down her chest and spread into her stomach. This gorgeous, sickeningly rich man wanted to spend more time with her. Was it possible he felt the connection between them as she had? 

She beamed. “Yeah, I’d love that actually. I’m starving.” 

Ben deferred to Rey on choosing the restaurant, so she picked sushi, her go-to for first dates. Maybe this wasn’t exactly a  _ date _ , but that didn’t mean she wasn’t curious about how he would pass her internal test, if she decided to give it to him. Sushi was adventurous, required patience to eat, and showed that a person was open to trying new things, all things Rey valued in a partner. 

One octopus maki, three salmon rolls, an assortment of sashimi, and two orders of gyoza later, Rey had her answer. Not only could Ben put away some raw salmon like no other, he didn’t even make fun of her for ordering so much food. And he paid for the meal, despite her protests to the contrary. 

In between soy sauce soaked bites, they had discussed their college undergrad experiences, desert island books, and their favorite albums of all time: for Ben, it was Nine Inch Nails’  _ The Fragile _ ; Rey revealed her love of emo punk by choosing a tie between  _ A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out _ by Panic! At the Disco, and  _ Folie à Deux _ by Fall Out Boy. 

“Of all time?” Ben asked, incredulously. “I mean I get that you’re into punk. I can respect that. But you like those bands More than The Clash? More than the Ramones? More than  _ Squirrel Nut Zippers _ ?” He wasn’t able to keep a straight face for the last one, and his laughter was like a warm breath of life in the sterile atmosphere of the airport. 

She launched her chopstick at him like a missile, where it bounced harmlessly off his chest but he pretended to be mortally wounded just the same. 

“First of all,” she said, with mock indignation, “Squirrel Nut Zippers are a swing jazz band,  _ not _ punk. Second of all, “ _ Hell _ ” was actually super catchy. And third of all, Trent Reznor is the most pretentious asshole to ever play an instrument!”

She expected defensiveness, but Ben just grinned. “Maybe that’s why I like him. Maybe  _ I’m _ a pretentious asshole.” 

Rey steepled her fingers over her mouth like she was considering deeply. “Hmmm,” she said, keeping him in suspense. Then, finally, with a wink, she added, “I don’t think so. Thirty minutes ago you didn’t even want me to know you were heir to a Fortune 500 company, and an asshole wouldn’t exactly be buying a stranger dinner, now would they?”

His mouth quirked up into a small smirk. He only shook his head without response, but Rey felt that somehow he was very pleased indeed. 

After the bill came and Ben paid it ( _ and _ left a 35% tip, Rey was impressed to notice), he asked her how much time she had left before her plane departed. She thought she heard the slightest downbeat in his voice as he asked. 

She checked her watch. “Looks like just about twenty minutes. Guess I better head back to the lounge...”

“Ok, yeah, me too I guess.”

They stood to leave and Rey was gathering her luggage when Ben stopped in front of her. “Rey?”

“Mm?” She replied, a little absent-mindedly. It had been a while since she glanced at the weather report. 

“Thanks for having dinner with me. It was...very nice.” 

Something in the way his voice hitched on the word  _ nice _ made a wave of goosebumps rise on her arms. It was the same feeling she got when a man she liked was standing close, kissing her neck, but he was doing it just with his voice. 

Her own voice was a bit husky when she responded. “Yeah. It really was.” 

They walked beside each other back to the lounge, and she could tell he was holding back his long strides to match her pace. 

She was just about to ask if they could exchange contact information when she looked at the board, and her stomach dropped. 

Every single flight heading to the upper east coast had been delayed. 


	2. Chapter 2

“Oh no, oh no, oh no...” she cried, tearing her phone out of her pocket to check the weather, although she knew what she would find. A solid wall of white from Virginia to Rhode Island, and she was trying to get to Rose who was smack in the middle of it all. 

“Looks like we’re gonna be stuck here all night,” Ben said, shaking his head. 

“I have to get to New York, I just have to...” Rey said, as though she were still speaking to herself.

“You never did tell me, who are you going to see? It sounds like it’s an emergency.” 

Rey’s bottom lip was quivering. “Not an emergency exactly...just...it’s my best friend, Rose. This is the first year since...well. It’s a long story.”

Ben turned to her with a mixture of curiosity and concern. “We’ve got nothing but time.” 

There was someone sitting in the seat he had before with the phone charger, and he looked around with a huff for another place they could hunker down and wait. 

“Ok, leave it to me,” Rey said, ignoring his bewildered look.

She sauntered over to the woman, who appeared to be in her mid 40s with a close cropped hairdo that swept sharply to the side in a waterfall of blonde highlights against black roots. Bending down slightly, Rey spoke in a hushed tone. 

A few moments later, she walked triumphantly back to Ben as the woman scrambled away, looking like she had just swallowed a bug.

Ben’s eyebrows were raised to his hairline, clearly in disbelief at what he just witnessed. 

“How did you do that?” He asked with amazement in his voice. 

Rey grinned, a little wickedly. “Easy. I told her I had seen someone sitting there before she sat down who was coughing up a lung and not covering their mouth then putting their hands all over the armrests. I thought she was going to disappear in a puff of Lysol,” she laughed raucously. “Shall we?”

They sat back down, and this time it was Rey who plugged her phone in to charge. 

“So, as a master of changing the subject, I think I’ve just been schooled...” Ben told her.

“No, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to change the subject exactly. I’m just...really bummed out about the storm, and I’m kicking myself for not flying direct, and why does everything always have to be so complicated??”

“Yeah. Complicated I get. But hey, at least we’re in it together now, right? It’s kind of funny, really...I wasn’t looking forward to going home and now I can’t, and you really wanted to but you’re hanging out with me instead.” 

Rey’s cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling. “There are worse places to be.” 

Before he could respond, she dove right into her story. 

“Rose and I met in college. We were both business majors, and we connected right away. I had to take some time off to go back home, to take care of my dad, and she was there for me when I didn’t have anyone else. Now, dad’s gone and she really is the only one...it’s the first Christmas I’m spending without him, and she was nice enough to invite me up to New York.” Rey buried her face in her hands. “I just got my first job and I don’t have a lot of time off. I can’t just extend my vacation if the storm doesn’t let up. What am I gonna do?”

She felt Ben’s large hand rest on her mid back, returning her kind gesture from earlier. His skin was warm and she could feel it even through her cardigan. 

“Hey, it’s ok, it’s just a delay. At least it’s not canceled. There’s still a chance you could get there by Christmas. Maybe we can take your mind off it for a while. Have you ever seen Willis Tower?”

It was crazy, she told herself, to trust this total stranger. But when she looked into his soft brown eyes, she found a familiarity there that made it impossible to say no. Rey had always wanted adventure, and here it was, presented in a tall, enigmatic package. So she took a chance, and she made a wish. Anything could happen at Christmas.

***

They stored their carry ons in airport lockers, and then hailed a taxi to the tower. The view from the sky-deck took Rey’s breath away. Ben stood close behind her, and they took in the entire shining city at once. So many lives, going about their business; so many people, looking for love, for belonging. She had always felt set apart, her only real connections having been her foster father and Rose. But seeing it all from above made her think that maybe everyone had that feeling, and were all just dealing with it the best they knew how. Maybe Ben had felt that way too. 

“It’s a little overwhelming, isn’t it?” She said, bringing a hint of her thoughts aloud. 

“It always makes me feel really peaceful, actually, to see things this far away. I used to get this view when...when my dad took me up in his plane. Made me feel like my problems were small, you know?”

“Yeah...exactly.”

The next stop Ben suggested was Millenium Park, and he even posed for the selfie Rey insisted they get in front of the Bean. They laughed at their distorted reflections and took turns making ridiculous faces against the shining chrome. She snapped quite a few pictures, actually, of all the sculptures and art installments, and took time to read every plaque beside them. Ben just waited patiently, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his overcoat. 

Rey hadn’t brought any gloves, not thinking she’d be outside in the weather. She rubbed her hands together furiously, trying to warm them with the friction. 

“Getting too cold?” He asked. 

“Y-y-yeah, I guess I am,” she stuttered, her teeth chattering as she tried to get out the words. 

“I have a trick for that, if you want me to show you?”

“Yeah me too, it’s called going indoors,” Rey laughed.

He grinned. “Well that, too. But in the meantime...” He grasped her hand in his, causing her to jump a bit in surprise, but it didn’t take long for her to relax. Something about it felt  _ right _ . 

He rubbed his thumb in tight pressing circles on her palm and the back of her hand, and then in between her fingers. It was so soothing, and somehow also mildly erotic. She was sure she had a ridiculous look on her face as he massaged one hand and then the other. But soon she felt more blood coming into them, and the numb prickling faded away. 

“Wow, where’d you learn that?”

“I lived in Russia for a year, remember? It’s as cold as the dark side of the moon there.” 

Rey nodded, and then spied a hot chocolate stand set up by the road. “I have a trick for beating the cold, too...”

They sipped their hot chocolate as they strolled back to the park entrance; Rey ordered mint with whipped cream, and Ben had chocolate ganache. She happily accepted when he offered her to try some, never turning down an opportunity to have a sweet. Her lipstick left a little red imprint on the cup, but she noticed he didn’t bother to wipe it away. 

Rey suggested they end the day with dinner and drinks, and insisted that she be the one to pay this time. Ben protested but gave in when she accused him of not supporting women’s equality.

“If you’d met my mother, you’d know just how hilarious that idea is,” he said. 

“She certainly did a good job raising you,” Rey said with a wink. 

“The jury’s still out.” 

Right on cue, Ben’s phone lit up just as they were being led to their table. He mouthed  _ one second _ to Rey and stepped away to take it. 

“Hey mom,” she heard him say into the receiver as he walked away. 

He stood near the entrance of the restaurant, raking his hand through his hair again. She couldn’t tell what the rest of the conversation consisted of once she was seated, but she could tell his anxiety had increased when he came back to the table. 

“Everything OK?” She asked.

“Yeah. Apparently she thinks I delayed my flight on purpose.”

“What? That’s absurd!”

“Not literally of course. Just...when you’re the only son, the only kind of expectation you know of is high.” 

“Mm. They miss you,” Rey offered gently.

“I know. And I feel like a piece of shit for not missing them back. Not the way I should. Is it terrible to say I’ve had more fun today with you than I have the last ten holidays I spent with my family combined?” He blushed a bit as he finished, realizing his lips had been loose.

The waitress came and saved them from further examining the admission. 

It was a delicious meal, and the conversation just kept flowing, and like the rest of the day it went by too quickly. 

In the taxi ride back to the airport, Rey saw she had quite a few missed texts from Rose. She internally scolded herself for being so caught up with Ben that she hadn’t been checking her phone. 

She tapped out her replies, letting Rose know that she was alright and as far as she knew the plane was still just delayed. That she had spent the day touring Chicago. She decided to leave Ben out of it, knowing her friend would worry if she told her she had passed the last 8 hours with a man she just met today. 

The taxi pulled up to the airport curb and let them out. 

“Are you sure you want to spend the night here? I could get us a nice reservation in the city. Separate rooms, of course.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

“It’s a very kind offer, Ben, but I can’t let you do that. I’ll be fine here tonight. My plane is supposed to depart around three a.m., and I don’t want to risk missing it.”

“Then...I’ll stay here, too.” 

“What? No! We both know you’ve got the money for a hotel room. You’ll get awful sleep in those little chairs. I’ve loved your company, really, I have, but I don’t want you to put yourself out for me. I’ll be just fine.” 

“Rey, all I’m going to have to do if I go to a hotel is watch reruns of bad TV. My plane doesn’t leave too long after yours. Tomorrow you’ll be on your way to New York, and I’ll be going to DC, and...” He stared at the ground, fishing for the words. “Just. I want to, OK? I want to stay.” 

There was no deception in his eyes, just the plea, honest and warm. And if she was truthful with herself, she wanted him to stay, too. 

“OK, ok, if you insist. But at least let me buy you another drink?”

He grinned, triumphant. “We’ll see. Can’t let you ply me with alcohol so you can have your way with me.” 

Maybe it was the earlier martini she had bolstering her on, but before she could stop herself she blurted out, “I don’t need alcohol for that.”

Ben’s eyes went wide and his mouth went a bit slack, and it made her stomach swoop to see it. But before it could turn awkward, she turned on her heel and made a beeline for the lockers. 

It was a long line through security, and Rey had some time to think. Ben was scrolling on his phone for most of it, but it was the first lull in the conversation they had all day. She was second guessing her comment from earlier, but it wasn’t in her nature to hold back. Before Rey had met Ben, her life had taught her that fortune favored the bold. If you waited to be polite for a second helping, you likely wouldn’t get one. If you didn’t go out of your way to make friends with the other kids, they would probably avoid you for seeming strange. 

Going after what you wanted was the only way to survive in a dog-eat-dog world, and whatever this thing was that she and Ben had stumbled across in a twist of fate made her want to shoot her shot. But not at his expense, if he felt uncomfortable. He had made the first “move” with his comment about the alcohol and by insisting on staying with her, but it could have been a joke. Maybe it  _ would _ be more prudent to play it safe for a bit, until she knew for sure what he was thinking. Otherwise she could end up getting ahead of herself and feeling very let down. 

At last they made it through the queue, and traipsed into the first bar they saw. It was a beerhaus serving local brews, with taps lined up as far as the eye could see. Rey ordered a hefeweizen and Ben opted for a porter. Beers in hand, they sat at a high top in a cozy corner to pass the time. 

Everything was easy to talk to him about, it seemed. He just had a way of understanding her that she hadn’t found before in a guy. She told him about her experience growing up in foster care, about finally finding a home she felt good in, with Obi, until he developed liver cancer when she was 16. The hard truth about it was that he was in remission until he wasn’t, and last year she told him goodbye. She was on her own now, alone in the world, only now it hurt more because she knew what it was like to  _ not _ be alone. 

With their six empty steins in front of him, he turned to her and looked her straight in the eye. His face was soft with compassion, and his lower lip trembled slightly. “You’re not alone,” was all that he said, but it echoed volumes.

“Maybe neither of us are,” she told him. And she was just about to lean in closer to show him exactly what she meant, caution be damned, when his phone lit up again. 

_ Uncle Luke _ , the display read. 

Ben groaned, and almost switched it off, but Rey encouraged him to take the call. So he got up from the table while Rey headed to the ladies room. 

Her mind was buzzing and her limbs were tingly. She felt tipsy, yes, but more than that - she felt alive. It was a feeling she wasn’t accustomed to, since Obi died. It was like a breath of air into collapsing lungs. 

When she returned, Ben had stolen the opportunity to pay the bill, and she lightly punched his arm in protest. 

“Hey, hey, it was my turn!” He said, laughing. 

They stumbled back to the departure lounge, sank into two side by side recliners, and in very little time found themselves both drifting off into an intoxicated sleep. 

***

  
  


When Rey opened her eyes, she realized her cheek was resting on Ben’s shoulder, and a tiny patch of drool had collected on his shirt. Embarrassment shot through her, but then she  _ also _ realized he was snoring pretty loudly to be in public, and she figured they were even. Knowing she had slept with her head propped against him was jolting her tummy butterflies awake as well...

She blinked away her blurry vision from sleeping with her contacts in and checked the time on her phone. Then she glanced at the departure board and gave a little shriek. 

Her flight had now been  _ cancelled _ !

She shook Ben awake, close to tears, and he mumbled something as he regained consciousness. 

“Rey? What time is it?”

“It’s 2:45, Ben,” she moaned miserably, “and there’s no way I’m getting to New York now!”

She saw the recognition flicker in his eyes as he too saw the cruel letters saying “cancelled” above their heads. 

“OK, it’s gonna be alright. Just take a breath. Maybe you can rebook for tomorrow. As long as you can fly out before 9pm you should still be able to make it for Christmas Day.”

“Alright, how can I find that out?”

“Well, let’s call the airline. If there’s anything I can do to pull some strings, you know that I will.” 

“Thank you, Ben. Normally I wouldn’t ask any special favors, but...”

“I know, sweetheart,” he said, the last word rolling like velvet from his tongue. “It’s going to work out for the best, OK?”

She nodded, and googled the customer service line, then began the call.

A chirpy AI answered. “Thank you for calling Millenium Airlines’ 24 hour customer service hotline. Please press one for flight schedules, press two for billing questions, press three for customer service...” Rey cut off the voice by pressing three.

“Customer service. OK. In a few words, please tell me why you’re calling.” 

“Rebook a flight,” Rey said into the microphone.

“Rebook a flight. OK. Your wait time is...two hours and fifty five minutes. Press one to receive a call back. Press two to stay on the line.” 

“Three bloody hours?? I can’t wait that long!” Rey said aloud.

“Woah!” Ben exclaimed. “Their servers must be backed up with all the flight delays. Here, let’s take a short cut.” 

Ben took out his phone and opened his contacts. 

“What are you doing?” She mumbled, still holding her own phone to her ear.

“I’m calling my dad. He can tell us if it’s a lost cause or not, easy.”

“Ben it’s 3am, I don’t want you to wake up your dad for this!”

“Relax, Rey. Dad’s had insomnia for years. I guarantee he’s awake watching John Wayne movies right about now.”

“Your wait time is...two hours and forty minutes,” the voice said on the other line, indicating at least one frustrated person had hopped out of queue. 

Again Ben got up and walked away to take the call. Rey wondered why he was so private about all of his dealings with his family, but she supposed every family was different.

After about ten minutes of waiting on hold and pacing the lobby, Ben came back with a crestfallen look on his face. 

“Rey...I’m just going to be honest. It...it doesn’t look good out there.”

“Oh no,” she whined. “Rose...”

“Rose should be fine if she stays indoors. But the nor’easter is just hovering over the state. It’s not moving out nearly as fast as they predicted. It looks like things aren’t going to be operational at JFK again until at least Monday.”

Rey couldn’t help it, she actually started to cry. Hot tears burned her cheeks and she felt a painful lump rising in her throat. It had always been humiliating to cry in front of others, and she turned her face away so he wouldn’t see. 

Of all the Christmases she didn’t want to spend alone, it was this one. Of all the times she needed her best friend’s cheery words and sense of humor, it was this one. Now she had flown all this way to a city she didn’t know, and she’d be spending Christmas ten thousand feet in the air eating cocktail peanuts and feeling her seat be kicked from behind by an unruly toddler. 

Rey had learned better than to expect that life would be fair, but damn it, it didn’t have to be completely unforgiving. It was Christmas, for heaven’s sake. 

A pair of thick, strong arms wrapped around her shoulders then were pulling her close. In an ironic twist, her ear was planted against the spot of drool she had left on his shirt, and she sobbed even harder then. 

“Shh, shh, don’t cry,” he told her, but he let her cry just the same.

And when she was wiping her reddened eyes on her sleeve, he looked at her very seriously.

“Rey...I’m so sorry you won’t get to be with Rose for Christmas. But I...that is, before I got off the phone, I asked my dad if there was any other way up to New York. He said no, but...”

Rey stared at him blankly. Where was he going with this?

“I don’t want you to spend Christmas alone. No one should have to do that, but especially not you. Not after your dad. Rey, this is going to sound crazy but I’m completely serious. You should come with me. To DC. To my mom and dad’s.”

“I’m sorry, what?” She asked, sure she had misheard him. 

“Dad told me he checked my flight too, and it was going to depart as rescheduled. The storm has moved past the DC area by now. And, I asked him to look for another seat...” He was blushing, playing with his hair again. “There are people who changed their travel plans when it got delayed, I guess. Plus they always keep some in reserve in first class they don’t want you to know about...God I’m rambling.”

Her mouth still didn’t want to work. He actually wanted her to come with him to his childhood home, after knowing her for less than 24 hours? Where he hadn’t spent a Christmas in four years? It was nuts. But...it was also the nicest thing anyone had ever offered to do for her. She felt the threat of the tears returning.

He just kept on. “Listen, my mom and dad won’t mind. In fact I think they’ll be thrilled. I know it might be weird and I know it’s really intense, and if you don’t want to I understand but...I just can’t stand the thought of you being alone for it. And I’ll be around people, but also alone. Unless...unless you’re there. Please?”

She wanted to say,  _ I couldn’t possibly _ . Her mind was saying,  _ What if the charm is an act and he’s actually an axe murderer?? _ There were a thousand questions and a thousand ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ swirling in her brain. 

But in the end, those soft brown eyes won out. 

“I...I don’t have the money to upgrade to first class, though. Isn’t there anything in coach?”

Ben grinned ear to ear. “Leave it to me.”

***

Two hours later they were reclining in seats so large they could have been a bed, preparing for liftoff. This was by far the wildest thing Rey had ever done. Wilder than backpacking across Europe for three months alone after Obi died. Wilder than the party where she had been enticed into trying shrooms. Wilder than anything she would have said she was capable of, only three days before. 

But here she was, accepting a hot towel from the stewardess with a multi-millionaire’s son at her side, who happened to look like a GQ model. 

If it wasn’t for the pangs in her heart of missing Rose, she’d be sure that she had stepped into a Hallmark Channel movie. 

Speaking of Rose, she hadn’t wanted to disturb her this early in the morning but she would have to call first thing when they landed and break the news. She was bracing herself for the incoming lecture she was sure to get, taking a risk like this one. She only hoped it was going to be worth it.

When the seatbelt signs had come off, she turned to Ben who was listening to music. She tapped him on the shoulder and he lifted his headphones away from his ear.

“So...can we talk a little bit about your parents? What are they like? I mean...I’m about to spend the next 48 hours with them so I’d like to be a little prepared, you know?”

“Oh yeah, sure. Well, uh...let’s see. Mom is a retired Air Force General, and you know what my dad does...my Uncle Luke is supposed to be there,” he said this last part with an eye roll, “He was in the Air Force for a while too, didn’t get as high of a rank as mom, but now he’s found religion and he’s near insufferable to be honest.”

Rey must have had a stricken look on her face, because Ben stopped. 

“Are you OK?”

“Yeah...just...Ben, I grew up in foster care. Your parents are...practically celebrities. What are they going to think about you bringing me home?”

“Don’t worry about it. They’re only hard on  _ me _ , trust me. You’re a really honest person. My mom will love that about you, cause she never holds back. And the less pretentious the better for my dad. He stumbled into this whole thing, really. Flying was just what he was good at. It wasn’t until much later that he was convinced to make a company out of it. I mean, I give them a hard time a lot but I guess when I think about it they’re not such bad people.”

Rey nodded, taking slow breaths. 

“And I wouldn’t have brought you with me if I thought they were going to gang up on you or something. I like you too much for that.” The last words came out in a rush, and Rey smiled shyly and looked away.

“Ok. I trust you,” she said, and she let him get back to his music so he could cover up his now burning ears. 

The rest of the flight was uneventful, and without any turbulence at all they touched down in D.C. Rey had the window seat and she was amazed at how beautiful the city was, blanketed in a thick coat of white. 

It took a while to retrieve their luggage, and Rey hitched into the WiFi network to contact Rose. The local time was around 8am, but she knew Rose was an early riser.

Rey: So I guess you’ve heard the news? :(

Three dots appeared almost instantly, just as expected.

Rose: Worst. Christmas. Ever. 

Rey: I know. Rosie I’m so sorry. Do you still have power?

Rose: No it went out last night. But it’s ok I’ve got a backup generator and enough cans of tuna to feed an army. Maybe if I try I can shape it into a turkey.

Rey: ;-) That’s the spirit.

Rose: So are you headed back to Seattle, then?

Rey: Not quite yet.

Rose: You’re staying in Chicago?

Rey: No...I kind of met someone. In the airport.

Rose: WHAT

Rey: I know. It’s weird. You’re not going to believe who it was I met, either. 

Rose: It better be Robert Pattinson.

Rey: lmao. Not quite. You should google Han Solo.

Rose: Says he’s the CEO of an airline? You met him?

Rey: Not him. His son. The CEO of Millennium airlines, the plane I was on. 

Rose: WOAH no shit. Wait, how do you know he is who he says he is?

Rey: Hard to explain. I just trust him.

Rose: WTF Rey! I can’t be worrying about you right now. What the hell is going on?

Rey: Rose, calm down. I’m fine. We spent the day together, ok? And he’s...really nice. And...I told him why I wanted to come see you for Christmas. When the flight got cancelled, he invited me out to D.C. with him.

Rose: YOU’VE ONLY BEEN AT THE AIRPORT FOR A DAY

Rey: Look, here’s the address where we’re going, ok? I’ll check in with you all the time. It’s just...there’s something about this guy. I feel safe. 

Rose: Reyla Jacqueline Kenobi, if you get yourself killed I’m going to murder you!!!!!

Rey: Duly noted. I love you, Rosie. Stay warm and I’ll call often, I promise. 

Ben was pulling their suitcases off the carousel when she looked up. “Everything Ok?” He asked.

“Yep. Just letting Rose know where I’m gonna be. You know, in case you kidnap me,” she teased.

“Well. I’m a military brat. I do know how to keep something top secret,” he wiggled his eyebrows devilishly, earning him a giggle from Rey.

“You ready for this, then?” He asked.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

And with that, they stepped outside and Ben flagged down a taxi. He helped Rey inside, holding the door for her. She gave him a warm smile, and stared out the window as the scenery blurred by. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Chapter 3

About forty minutes later, after braving the pre-Christmas gridlock, the taxi pulled through a gated community to stop in front of the most lavish house Rey had ever seen. She could hardly stop from staring at the gorgeous Georgian mansion with a balcony over the front porch supported by huge columns, and Kelly green shutters on each of its ample windows. 

_ Ben grew up here?? _ She kept thinking, and the series of trailer parks and motel rooms she spent the first 13 years of her life in paraded through her mind. Even after Obi adopted her, they only lived in a modest duplex that needed a bit more TLC than his soon-to-be ailing health would allow. 

She was struck by a bolt of self consciousness. She looked down at her clothes, a simple tan cardigan with a white blouse beneath and a pair of jeans that she would have called lovingly worn in but others may have described as “thread-bare,” her feet shoved into knock off Ugg Boots she had gotten on clearance at Target. 

But just then Ben gave her hand a quick, firm squeeze, and her mind was suddenly calm. She knew they had only come here as friends - acquaintances? It was hard to tell what exactly they were at this point - but it didn’t stop her from briefly imagining that they were dating, and she was meeting his parents for the first time. Perhaps that’s why she had such jitters, on top of feeling like she was a stranger intruding on a private family holiday. But his little signal confirmed that however he saw her, she was welcome in his eyes. 

They walked together up the long drive, Ben carrying both suitcases. Before they had taken the first step onto the porch, the great arching door swung open, and a short woman with a serious face but a twinkle in her eyes burst out of it. Her hair was styled in a winding braided bun that fit her head like a crown -  _ fit for a matriarch _ , Rey thought. She practically launched herself at Ben, who was helpless to resist with the luggage in his hands. The contrast between his massive frame and her petite one was one part humorous, and one part heartwarming. This could only be his mother. 

Ben let the suitcases rest at his feet and wrapped his long arms around her, and Rey saw that his cheeks were flushed with a delicate pink color. The woman’s eyes were the slightest bit wet when she at last pulled back, murmuring, “My boy.” But soon those sharp eyes were trained on Rey. 

“Hello, there. Who’s this?” She said, regarding Ben. 

_ You didn’t tell her _ , Rey mouthed when the woman’s head was turned toward her son. 

“Mom, this is Rey...” Ben offered the barest of explanations. 

She could see the woman’s eyes shoot to her hands, her left hand in particular, then back up her cardigan to study her face. 

“It’s wonderful to meet you, Mrs. Solo,” Rey said politely. 

“It’s Organa, actually. I never changed my name. But you can call me Leia. Do  _ you _ have a last name?” Her tone was not unkind, but authoritative. Rey felt as though she were being given  _ orders _ to use the woman’s first name, rather than an invitation. 

“Oh, oh, yes, sorry of course! It’s Kenobi.” She looked to Ben, desperate for some help. He had gotten her into this, after all!

“Kenobi...is that Italian?”

“I, uh...I’m actually not sure. I was adopted.” She hadn’t planned on giving that part of herself away at all, but this woman had a way of making you feel as though you could hide nothing. 

“Mom, please let’s not start with the interrogation. Rey is our guest,” Ben interjected, seeming to finally have his mouth working again.

“I’m sorry, Ben, I just didn’t know you’d be bringing a girlfriend home. I didn’t even know you  _ had _ a girlfriend.”

Rey’s mouth went slack and she had to fight to close it. This was...starting off on the wrong foot. And clearly Ben was not able to stand up for himself. But a thought occurred to her then, in a bolt. How might it change their opinions of him if they thought he  _ did _ have a girlfriend? Someone else there that was on his side of things, someone who loved him in a different way than they did? Would it force them to see him more as a man who was making his own way in life, growing up and maturing, and earn him some of their respect which he clearly craved? Ben had helped her by letting her come here so she wouldn’t spend the holidays alone. He had helped her by keeping her company on a very bad day. Maybe she could do something to help him in return. 

“We wanted to tell you in person,” Rey said, tilting her chin a bit higher and calling on that part of herself that she developed in foster care when she had to face down a nosy teacher or a friend’s mother who judged her by her circumstances. 

Ben’s head whipped to her so quickly that she thought it would sprain his neck. His eyes bugged a bit, but then he quickly schooled his appearance. And he put his arm around her shoulder, his large hand coming to rest on her upper forearm.  _ He was going to play along _ , she thought, and an involuntary shiver passed through her that ran straight to her toes. 

“That’s right,” he told his mother. “So I would love it if we could move past the pleasantries and come inside out of the cold, now?”

“Of course, of course,” Leia’s expression had softened considerably. Rey could tell that at least for the moment, she had ceased to be the general and had become the mother. “Rey, welcome to our home.” 

Someone else appeared in the doorway then, a tall gentleman dressed in a suit with a gold colored tie and slicked back platinum blond hair. He didn’t resemble Ben or Leia at all, and his posture and mannerisms were so formal they were stiff. 

Ben’s eyebrows shot up a bit when he saw him. “Siegfried, they didn’t give you the week off?”

“I insisted on being here to see you, Master Ben!” The older man smiled, and went to take the cases from Ben’s hands. Ben let them go.

“Siegfried, this is Rey, my...” he glanced down at her, “my girlfriend.” 

The breath hitched in Rey’s lungs to hear him say it out loud. The craziest thing she had ever done just got a little crazier. 

The blond man smiled. “A pleasure to meet you, ma’am. I am Siegfried Peo, the family butler. But please just call me Siegfried should you need anything during your stay.” 

“Oh, thank you. I’m sure I can manage.”

“Yes ma’am, you do look quite capable. But I am here to serve.” 

This was getting surreal. Her new “boyfriend” lived in a mansion, with a butler, and a mother who had hawk eyes. What a story this was going to make for Rose.

They walked into the foyer, which was decorated grandly for Christmas; a huge, live tree was filling the room with the scent of pine and twinkling with hundreds of white lights as well as dangling silver ornaments that shimmered like stars. Leading to the second floor was a wide curving staircase and fresh holly was woven into every spindle, snaking its way up the banister. It was absolutely magical, and they hadn’t even entered the main rooms yet. 

“Siegfried,” Leia said, “why don’t you take Rey upstairs to her and Ben’s room so she can have a moment to rest.” 

Rey’s stomach swooped.  _ Her and Ben’s room _ . She hadn’t even considered that if they were dating, they would be expected to share a room. But before she could make up an excuse about being strictly religious or some other reason to abstain from premarital sex, Siegfried was already headed up the stairs with both suitcases.

“Right this way, ma’am,” he told Rey. 

She shot Ben a quick, panicked glance, and his eyebrows had lifted to his hairline. But goosebumps were also dancing down her arms. 

Rey had no choice but to follow up the stairs after the butler. The hardwood of the steps gave way at the top to plush gray carpeting, elegantly accenting the walls which were white wainscoting on the bottom and a powder blue damask wallpaper on top. A row of family portraits hung on the wall directly opposite the landing and looked like they had actually been painted. 

They depicted the family in various poses: Leia and what Rey knew from her research on him to be Han, with Leia sitting in a chair and Han’s hands resting on her shoulders behind her; One of Leia, Han, and Ben when Ben appeared to be a late teenager, his huge ears sticking from under his hair which he seemed to be growing to cover up. Rey grinned at this one, wishing she were alone so she could study every detail of his young and innocent face. The last portrait again included the family trio, but this one had another couple included as well: an older man with sandy blond hair and hard eyes, and a woman whose hand he was holding. She was dressed in an intricate green and gold dress, and her hair was swept into a complicated updo. She looked like a queen, and she had Leia’s eyes. Rey wanted to stop and examine this one, also, for it seemed to carry a heavier weight than the others. 

But Siegfried had walked a few feet in front of her down a corridor, and stopped in front of a set of double doors. “Here we are,” he said cheerfully. 

“Thank you so much,” Rey replied, and the older man nodded kindly. He set down one of the cases to open the door, and the room was opened to her. 

This one wasn’t decorated in splendor like the rest of the house. Instead, it looked like a time capsule to the late 1990s. The walls held a curious mix of band posters and posters of famous people from history: Winston Churchill, Ulysses S. Grant, Einstein. A desk in the far corner had a neat stack of books on top, and more books were filed into a shelf beside it. In the center of the room was a California King bed made up with black satin sheets, and right over the headboard, the largest poster which was framed depicted Trent Reznor dressed in white, contrasted to his black hair and dark scowl. 

_ This was Ben’s old room _ . Exactly as he had left it, it appeared. 

Suddenly Rey felt it was very hard to breathe. 

Siegfried had quietly taken his leave, she noticed, and Rey collapsed onto the edge of the bed, just sitting and taking it all in. She felt as though she had been plucked from her ordinary life and placed into a strange story, and was feeling her way blindly to where she fit into it. 

A few moments later, Ben came into the room. She looked up at him, not quite knowing what to say after the turn of events. It seemed he was feeling the same. 

“So...what now?” He said, breaking the silence.

“Ben, I’m sorry about downstairs, I don’t know why I said that...I guess I was thinking about what you told me about not fitting in with them, and them not accepting your choices, and I just thought maybe if they thought things were coming together for you that—”

He cut her off by stepping toward the bed and pressing a single finger to her lips. Sitting on it as she was, she was eye level to his torso and he had to bend slightly to look into her face. A new wave of shivers ran down her spine at the intimacy of it. 

He withdrew his hand. “It’s OK, Rey. I know you were only trying to help. And maybe you’re right, maybe this will help mom realize that I’m not the kid I was when she last saw me. But it’s not going to be easy, either. Dad already knows we just met since he helped me get your ticket here. And mom’s a shrewd woman, nothing gets past her.”

“I feel terrible now, lying to her when she’s taken me into her home to spend Christmas with you all. If your dad knows, he might have told her already and we’re just making it worse by covering it up. Maybe I should just come clean, I can explain, and...”

“No. After this year, it’s probably going to be a while before I see them again. I’d prefer to let her think I’ve got my own life, my own reasons for staying away. This will help with that. Dad won’t have told her. He’s a hardass in his own way but when it comes to women...he won’t interfere.” 

Rey’s eyebrows shot up at that. This family had some serious fractures between them, that much was clear. Was her presence here really going to help, or hurt? She was determined to make it the former. 

“OK,” she said, “Then we should get our stories straight.” 

***

They stayed in the room a while longer, agreeing on what to say about how they met, how long they’d been dating, and other details that could trip them up if Leia started asking questions. When they were ready to go downstairs, Rey stood in front of the mirror and ran her fingers through her hair, messing it up the slightest bit. She then pinched her cheeks to bring color into them, while Ben looked on, astonished. 

“What are you doing?”

“Well...if we’ve only been dating for six months, and we’ve been alone together in your room for the past thirty minutes, they’re going to expect that we’ve...” She found her nerve faltering on the last bit, and she dropped her eyes from his in the mirror. “That we’ve probably been making out. I mean, that’s what couples do.” 

Ben swallowed a few times in a row, as though he were getting his jaw to work. “Oh, uh...that makes sense. I didn’t think of that I guess.” 

A curious thought struck her. “Ben - you  _ have _ had a girlfriend before, haven’t you?” She blurted out before she could think of how to phrase it more delicately.

His voice was pinched when he replied. “Yeah, yeah of course I have!” He paused, looking down. “Well...maybe not a girlfriend per se, but friends who were girls and, uh...Oh, damn it. There just isn’t a lot of time, you know, when you’re getting a PhD. I mean, I  _ like _ girls...” 

Rey noticed the tips of his ears were glowing red, and she suppressed a grin. But at the same time the revelation was dawning on her that not only had she told Leia a lie, but the lie now meant that she was supposed to be Ben’s first girlfriend. First girl he ever brought home to meet them. First. 

She smiled at him reassuringly. “It’s Ok. We’ll figure it out together. Besides, it’s only  _ pretend _ dating, right?”

He gave a little shrug as he spoke that hinted at the slightest contradiction to his words. “Right.”

***

Downstairs in the living room - which was nearly the size of Rey’s entire apartment - Leia was waiting for them. She had changed too, it seemed, into a green velvet dress that suited her zaftig figure and highlighted her elegance. Her hair was circled around her head in an intricate bun. Once again, Rey felt so out of place, but tried to slip into a new role now - the role of Ben’s girlfriend. 

Han Solo was there too, just casually reading a newspaper in an armchair. Rey felt her breath hitch a bit. She was about to meet one of her heroes of industry - but she couldn’t let Ben sense that. She knew that part of her mission here was to help Han see Ben in a new light, and that wouldn’t work if she was gushing about his genius like any other fangirl. 

“Han,” Leia said, a bit sharply, but not unkindly. Rey was starting to understand that this woman just commanded respect from anyone in the room and sensed that she was worthy of it, too. 

“Hm?” He said, with his nose still in the paper. Clearly he was used to her by now. 

“Ben’s  _ guest _ is here,” she told him, and Rey hoped the shadow of irritation that passed over her face was directed at Han and not at her. 

Han shuffled the pages of the newspaper, folding them across his lap. “Oh?” He said, and looked around absently. At her side, Rey felt Ben’s spine stiffen. 

She put on her best 50 watt smile and ducked around his oversized armchair. “A pleasure to meet you, Sir. I’m Rey Kenobi.” 

Han regarded her like an alien creature, cocking one gray bushy eyebrow, but then the corner of his lips turned up as if he knew some devastating secret about her. He stuck out his weathered hand. “Put ‘er there, Kid,” he said. 

Rey shook his hand as he squeezed and pumped her arm like someone from a silent film, exaggerated and comical. She wasn’t quite sure if she was being made fun of or not, and was suddenly aware of why Ben had such a hard time fitting in with these larger-than-life personalities. His quiet, shy nature must have been routinely run ramshod, despite their best efforts to include him. 

“So you’re the famous Rey, huh?” Han said, and she almost thought she saw him wink. 

She chuckled nervously. “Well, I don’t know about famous...”

“Stop flirting with her, dad,” Ben said gruffly behind them. Rey flinched. 

“Alright, alright. I’m not gonna steal your girl. Your mother would kill me,” he laughed, with a twinkle in his eye. Leia did not seem phased at all and simply rolled her own eyes. 

At least Han seemed to be playing along. Maybe Ben was right, he would let him tell Leia in his own time. That was a start to mending fences, wasn’t it? 

“Rey,” Leia said from behind her, pulling her from her musing. “We have a family tradition of decorating the Christmas tree all together. I was waiting for Ben to get home this year. Would you care to join us?”

Rey smiled widely at that. She had been so nervous about meeting Han that she hadn’t even stopped to look at the massive Douglas Fir on display in front of the room’s floor-to-ceiling gallery window. It probably cost more than Rey’s monthly electric bill, and was nothing like the shabby, slender trees she would pick out every year with Obi at the local parking lot turned tree farm. Still, her memories of decorating it with crinkly silver tinsel and green, red, and blue lights while sipping hot cocoa made her feel warm inside to recall. 

“Yes, I’d love to, thank you for including me,” she said earnestly.

“Of course. You’re part of the family now,” Leia replied, sending a mixed shiver of delight and guilt buzzing down Rey’s spine. She fought not to glance at Ben’s reaction. 

She noticed that Siegfried was already bringing in long boxes of ornaments and long spools of stringed lights. Rey moved to help him carry the parcels to the tree, and Ben quirked a brow. Siegfried protested but Rey insisted, and after a moment Ben joined in too. Soon they had a stack of containers and no less than nine spools of lights at the ready. 

Rey watched as Ben took a spool and began to wrap the first strand of lights around the bottom of the tree. She stood on the other side, and accepted them when he handed it off for her to wind onto the branches nearest to her. They alternated passing it back and forth, draping it onto the tree in an ascending spiral until the spool had unraveled completely. Leia sat on a nearby chaise sorting through the delicate ornaments, but Rey could feel her keen eyes upon her nonetheless. 

After the next two strands were deposited onto the tree, Rey had run out of height and arm-span to continue. Ben then took over completely, walking in a slow circle around the fir, and managed three more on his own. Han then brought in two step stools, placing one at either end, and the two men stood on them to finish stringing the lights until all 900 were set among the branches. 

Rey watched Ben carefully, first reaching up above his head, his forearms exposed in the sleeves of his rolled up cardigan. She noticed the way his tendons flexed, and the thin covering of dark hair on his skin. She noticed how the tail of his shirt rode just past his belt when he stretched to his full height, and had the briefest moment of wondering what having those long arms wrapped around her in the dark would feel like. At one point he looked over to her, and she smiled shyly and stuck out her tongue since Leia and Han were turned away, earning her a soft chuckle from Ben. 

He was starting to feel more at ease, here and with her, and it buoyed her spirit to see it. 

After the lights were finished, Leia brought over her tray of ornaments. 

“These are our family heirlooms,” she told Rey, who listened wide-eyed. “Every year we buy at least one ornament to remember what we did together. This one, for example, is the year Ben graduated from college.” She held up a tiny silver plated replica of a diploma engraved with the year: 2014. 

Rey thought she heard a soft snort of derision from Han at that, but it was so subtle that she couldn’t be sure. 

“It’s lovely,” she replied.

Leia placed it gently back onto the felt tray and chose another, golden, in the shape of a key. “This one is from the year we bought this house. It was right after we moved back to D.C.”

Rey nodded. 

“Oh and this one,” Leia smiled ear to ear, holding up a vintage looking sphere with a photograph lasered onto the surface, “This one is from Ben’s first Christmas.”

“Oh my goodness,” Rey laughed. “Can I see it?”

At that, Ben swooped in from behind her, grabbing the ornament out of Leia’s hands. “That’s enough, mom, you’re boring her.” 

“Oh no you don’t!” Rey cried, jumping to grab it out of his hands as he played the game of keep-away. 

“Ben! Let her see it before you break it!” Leia commanded.

Ben flinched slightly and the tips of his ears turned red at being scolded like a child. He stopped holding it over Rey’s head and sheepishly handed it to her, though the look on his face was one of sheer annoyance. 

She took it gingerly from him, and opened her palms to examine it. It was Ben as an infant; he looked to be no more than a month old. He was laying on a baby blanket made to look like fluffy snow, and he was wearing a Santa hat that threatened to drown his egg shaped head. Only his ears protruded from the sides, and small wisps of dark hair. Other than the hat, he was buck naked and curled onto his side, with his tiny fists balled at his face. He was very long for a newborn, but round - cheeks, buttocks, and chubby thighs. 

It was quite possibly the cutest thing Rey had ever seen, and she couldn’t help but make a soft noise of delight when she looked at it. 

“Are you done now?” Ben said, pulling her from her sense of absolute melting over the adorable photo. 

“You were such a cute baby!” Rey exclaimed.

“Yeah Kid, what happened?” Han quipped, and laughed at his own joke. 

Ben glowered. 

“I think he’s still pretty cute,” Leia added, creating a rosy blush on Ben’s cheeks. “Would you say so, Rey?” She added.

“Yeah, absolutely,” she replied, and felt her own face flush hot. 

Ben’s color went from rose to scarlet. “Let’s finish the tree,” he mumbled. 

Together they placed all the ornaments until nearly every branch was covered. Even Han joined in on this part, much to Rey’s enjoyment. This was the sort of family moment she never had the chance to experience growing up - a mom, a dad, and children reminiscing over holiday traditions, and creating new ones every year. She was fighting against her sense of being an intruder, but it washed away every time she looked at Ben. He had asked her here. He had wanted her here. For these moments, for this. The thought comforted her, and allowed her to enjoy her role in all of it. 

At last the tree was nearly complete. 

“Just one thing left,” Leia said, stepping back to admire their handiwork. 

“What’s that?” Rey asked. 

“The star for the top,” Han replied, gesturing to the final box at their feet. “I’ll go get the stool.” 

He walked off toward the front entrance while Rey looked at the five pointed gilded star. Lights adorned each of the points and the center and every one of its five arms was decked in glitter that would catch and refract the light. 

Before Han could return, Ben turned to her. “Would you like to do the honors?”

She was momentarily confused, then realized he meant placing the tree topper. “Oh, me? No, I couldn’t. You or your dad should do it.”

“Nonsense. You’re my guest,” he told her, and without another word of protest he scooped up both her  _ and _ the star. 

“Ahhh!” She squealed, as Ben lifted her up by the waist. His massive hands nearly stretched around her entire midsection, and he hoisted her as easily as if she were a doll. In one fluid motion he bent down slightly, his palms on her thighs, and placed her onto his shoulders. She was high above the ground, but Ben held her firmly, his hands planted on her upper thighs, and she did not fear that he would let her fall. 

Her skin felt hot where he had touched her, in a place that felt so intimate even through the material of her jeans. The adrenaline of rising so high and the suddenness of his contact had her feeling dizzy. 

She expected that Leia would look shocked or horrified, but instead she looked - amused? 

Ben handed her the star and she decided she had better place it before she thought too hard about the fact that the back of his head was now between her legs, in front of his mother no less. 

She reached up and placed it on the uppermost branch, plugging it into the string of lights below it, just as Han came back with the stool.

“Well that’s one way to do it,” he said, but Rey noticed there seemed to be admiration in even his voice. 

“Bravo,” Leia said, when the star was in place. 

Behind her in the doorway she thought she heard Siegfried murmur, “Oh my.”

His long arms reaching upward to grasp her firmly about the waist, Ben once again bent down, almost to a kneel, allowing Rey to hop off. She felt her face flush when she looked at him, and there was  _ something _ in his eyes she couldn’t quite place. 

“Let’s light ‘er up, shall we?” Han said, breaking the spell. 

He took the plug and inserted it into the wall socket, the rest of them standing back to admire their handiwork. Siegfried had dimmed the overhead chandelier, and the result was a breathtaking display before them. The great balsam twinkled, some of the lights fading slowly in and out while others stayed steadily lit. The soft white rays caught the sparkle of the hundred ornaments, dancing like hanging stars. 

It brought little tears to Rey’s eyes to see it, and she reached over to grab Ben’s hand. He did not pull away but offered it to her and gave her a gentle squeeze. 

For someone who had never been a boyfriend, he was playing the role magnificently. 

The rest of the evening passed with the family sitting by the glow of the tree, watching old Christmas movies. Rey was surprised to learn that Ben’s favorite holiday movie was Home Alone, and Ben was surprised that the family’s shy orange tabby BB took a liking to Rey immediately. 

“Oh, I love cats,” she told him. “There was a sweet cat that would always hang around one of my foster homes that I would sneak scraps to when I could. I wanted to keep him so badly...I even gave him a name.” 

“What did you name him?” He asked with an endearing smile.

“Simba,” she replied, giggling a bit.

“ _ The Lion King, Anastasia _ ...you’re really into Disney movies, huh?”

“And is there anything wrong with that, Benjamin Solo?”

“It stands for Bennett,” Leia interjected, handing Rey a cup of hot chocolate Siegfried had just brought on a tray. “How long did you say you two had been dating?”

Rey’s eyes grew huge, and she took a sip of the hot cocoa to avoid answering, burning her tongue but preferring the pain to being caught in her lie. 

“About six months, mom. She knows my name, it’s an inside joke. Her father’s name was Benjamin.”

Rey breathed an inner sigh of relief at his save, until Han chimed in. 

“You mean she calls you Daddy?” He nearly choked on his laughter. 

Ben stood to his feet in a huff. “I’m going to bed.”

“Ben, wait, stay a while longer?” Leia pleaded.

“No, mom. I’m tired. Goodnight.” And with that she heard his heavy footfall plodding up the stairs. 

Rey was alone, with Ben’s parents. She felt the hairs on her neck rise to attention. 

“He always was a sensitive one,” Leia sighed. “You know you shouldn’t tease him,” she scolded Han. 

“I don’t know how he ended up with no sense of humor, having us for parents,” he grumbled.

Rey squirmed in her seat. She had come here to help Ben through his relationship with his parents, or at least through the visit. She plucked up her courage. “He’s...funnier than you think. He makes me laugh a lot.”

They both regarded her with raised eyebrows, as if they had forgotten she was still in the room.

“It’s just that he...he was a little nervous about being back here, you know? After so long. I think he wants it to go perfect, but he won’t let that show.”

They were silent a long minute, and then Leia spoke. “You seem good for him.”

Her stomach flipped. It was getting hard to convince her brain that none of this was real. “I...thank you, ma’am. You really did raise him well.”

“We’re too hard on him sometimes, and forget that. Thank you for reminding us, Rey.”

She smiled back at the older woman, and made her excuses to head upstairs too. It had been a very long two days, and she felt ready to sleep for a year. 

Then she climbed the staircase and crossed the hall to stand in front of Ben’s bedroom door, and the terrifying but electric thought hit her all over again: they were expected to share the same bed.


End file.
